When you’re top dog you can’t show a chink — Wentworth’s Franky on dangerous collision course with The Freak

WHEN she traded a US green card for a teal blue prison tracksuit to take the role of Francesca “Franky” Doyle in Wentworth, Nicole da Silva never imagined it would turn out like this.

It was 2012 when da Silva, having wrapped four years playing tough girl Senior Constable Stella Dagostino on Rush, was ready to tread the well-worn path of Australian actors trying their luck in landing an American television role at pilot season.

“I was waiting for approval for my Green Card to give LA a shot. Then along came Franky,” da Silva says.

Season one of Wentworth, Foxtel’s reimaging of cult 1980s prison drama Prisoner, proved a hit for da Silva and the rest of the ensemble cast.

Nicole da Silva is thrilled with the reaction to her character. Picture: Gina Malicia for FoxtelSource:Supplied

Now, as the 32-year-old dons the tatts and Wentworth teal for series two, those trackies are feeling mighty comfortable, and Hollywood’s on hold in favour of cell block H.

And if you thought season one was dark and tough, it’s about to get a whole lot meatier.

Pamela Rabe as Joan “The Freak” Ferguson.Source:Supplied

Franky is cementing her spot as top dog at the prison. Bea (Danielle Cormack) is non compos mentis in isolation in ‘the slot’ after taking down prison matriarch Jacs (Kris McQuade) in the season-ender.

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